Stealth and Sweets
by gryfon-spanish-werewolf
Summary: If this were a spy fic, the heist would be legendary. But because it's about Elsa sneaking back into the castle where she grew up and Anna catching her in the act, it's about comedy.


After another long but exciting day in Arendelle, Anna walks the halls of her home, winding down for the evening. Kristoff has already gone to sleep, not so stealthily sneaking out to the stables to room with Sven. He would probably never get truly comfortable living indoors, and Anna was okay with that. Sometimes a good snuggle pile was what everyone needed.

For her part she'd probably never stop moving, always one step in front of the other. It's just nice to roam, without needing to be anywhere. This way she gets to say goodnight to the paintings too, a habit she hasn't wanted to break.

She's about to go to bed when something catches her eye. A light in the hallway. A light that _definitely_ wasn't there before. Strangest of all is that it's coming from under the door to her office.

"This would be a terrible time to tell me you've been haunting the castle," she mutters to the portrait of her parents as she passed, hands bunching up her skirts. Equally possible was that a servant had lit a fire in the room thinking she'd be up late working, and that was something she couldn't ignore. Freezing to death had been one thing, burning to death was another. Not that she was keeping a list.

But when she arrives it wasn't a fire burning toasty in the fireplace that greets her but the flame from a small oil lamp, set on top of her writing desk.

That's… even more strange, especially because the flame is purple and casts the room in an odd light.

Then her eyes pop and her jaw drops and she has to believe she's already gone to bed and is dreaming because there was absolutely no mistaking the fact that Elsa was in this room.

Actually that was generous. Elsa was definitely in the room, but what that really meant was that Elsa was currently on her hands and knees _under_ the desk, talking to herself.

Anna can't help herself, she just blurts it out. "Elsa!?"

"Huh?" _Thunk_. "Owwwww…"

Anna rushes forward, apologies already on her lips. Elsa rubs the back of her head, wincing. "Elsa are you okay? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you but I mean, you _are_ under my desk, well, your desk, well actually Mama and Papa's desk and- you know what nevermind, how's your head?"

"It's fine Anna, thank you." Elsa smiles, pulling her hand away gingerly, "Though I'll probably have a lump tomorrow."

The obvious question is, "Why are you here?", followed closely by, "How did you get in here without letting anyone know?" Anna asks the second question first.

"Oh," Elsa has the gall to look a little sheepish, sending Anna's brain into a bit of a tailspin, which makes what Elsa says afterwards borderline incomprehensible. "I froze the latch to the window after I asked Gale to carry me up. I rode Nokk around the back of the castle because I didn't want anyone to worry about why I'd come in the middle of the night, and of course, hooves made of water don't make that much noise. And Bruni well, Bruni just wanted to come along, but he was helpful once I found the lamp."

As if on cue, the little fire spirit squeaks from where he's been hiding in the bookshelves and leaps out, landing on Elsa's head.

Anna blinks, looking between her sister and Bruni, then the large window on the far wall whose latch was indeed frozen and would need to be replaced. "That's… Okay I'm a _little_ mad about the window but otherwise that's actually super cool and I'm kind of jealous. You're just like those adventure stories we used to play as kids!" Then her expression turns serious. "Hang on, I'm not going to find an Earth Giant pretending to be a mountain-sized statue in the courtyard am I?"

Elsa pales. "Why? Did you see them?"

"Please, _please_ tell me you're joking."

"I'm joking." But Elsa didn't really meet Anna's eye and started stroking Bruni's belly instead.

"Elsa," Anna steps forward, cupping her hands beneath her sister's. Bruni rolls into her hands, making happy noises. "You know you don't need a whole action scene montage to get into your own home. You _live_ here."

So they're back to the obvious question.

Elsa bites her lip. She still won't look Anna in the eye but it's for a different reason this time. Anna tacks worry on top of curiosity. "Did something happen?"

"No, nothing happened," Elsa says, shaking her head, and Anna can tell she's being truthful. "The Northuldra are amazing people. They're doing thirty years worth of damage control and many are like me, awed and giddy and learning. Yelena is patient and kind, if curt, but being steeped in the heritage we never knew we had is… amazing." A light had kindled in Elsa's eye as she spoke but now she falters. "But it's not home."

Anna thinks she hears the "yet" at the end of that sentence but she doesn't like the feeling it dredges up so she keeps it down. Though, Elsa _didn't_ say "yet", so maybe that counts for something too.

"Well, you're always welcome here Elsa, even unannounced," Anna grins. "Especially unannounced. Just, don't go though anymore windows or my hair is going to start looking like yours."

"Blonde?"

"Grey."

"Ah."

They stand in companionable silence for a few moments before Elsa sighs. "Actually, the reason I came back is pretty simple." Anna tilts her head, perplexed. Bruni, who had crawled up her shoulder, zips down her arm and onto the wood top of the desk, just as curious. Elsa crouches down to fumble under the desk again. Anna hears the click of a latch and a panel opens up that she never knew about before. Elsa stands back up and plops a small, worn box on the desk that Bruni immediately investigates. But Anna has to take a step back because-

"The Northuldra... have many wonderful desserts," Elsa confessed as Anna starts laughing, doubled over with hands clutched over her stomach. "But they don't have chocolate. And I _really_ miss chocolate."

Anna gulps down air as she tries to speak. "So that's why… _that's why_ I could always smell chocolate when I was working! I thought I'd spilled something at some point."

Elsa fails to hide a smile behind her hand. "Well it's a secret stash for a reason."

"But we don't keep secrets anymore." Anna wipes tears from her eyes, a mischievous smile unfurling.

"And if you steal any," Elsa warns, "I'm going to have Gale drop all of your notes into the fjord when you're not looking."

"You wouldn't."

Elsa opens her mouth in retort, but it falls into a tight smile. "You're right, I'd miss getting them."

Anna's expression softened. She eased the box open, retrieving two pieces and handed one to Elsa. She chips a chunk off for Bruni, who licks his eyeball before and after trying a bite. "Then how about we share. I'll make sure it's always stocked with your favorites and you'll have to stash some fun Northduldra treats in return."

Elsa taps her chin pensively. "You strike a hard bargain Queen Anna, but I find the terms of this arrangement agreeable."

Anna pops her chocolate into her mouth. "All in a day's work. Now," she pushes Elsa towards the door. "Say goodnight to the spirits; it's late and _some of us_ have to get up early tomorrow."

Elsa says her goodbyes through a mouthful of her own chocolate piece and lets Anna lead her down the hallway. She says something about knowing where to go and Anna tosses an 'If-you're-gonna-act-like-a-guest-I'm-going-to-escort-you-like-one' look over her shoulder. Elsa just smiles and threads her fingers through Anna's.

On their way Anna jerks to a stop, staring out the window. Then she carries on, ignoring Elsa's questioning look to the back of her head.

There was an enormous, suspicious looking rock sculpture on the far side of the fjord, but she really doesn't want to deal with it right now.

Instead she just says, "Please don't ever sneak into the castle again."

Elsa seems to know exactly what she was talking about, and sounds appropriately chastised.

"I've... definitely had better ideas."


End file.
